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Thursday, 28 July 2011

A wee favourite of mine from the archives. Perthshire looks rather beautiful on a hot sunny day with a tapestry of harvest coloured fields........while you eagerly await whats on the easel!

Have been spending more time in the garden these days, it's sadly been a bit neglected so there is much cutting and hauling out going on.....lots of bending and sore on the back but I'm pleased to say the creaking is subsiding as the bones get used to the exercise :))

Monday, 25 July 2011

Had some difficulty photographing this one, the blues aren't quite as sharp in the real deal. A typical Ayrshire view at the moment with crops ripening in the high temperatures we've been getting. I love looking over the patchwork farmland at the varying colours. Pale greens, deep gold and an off white where the crop has been lifted. The clouds are shifting on this with a threat of rain possibly and some thunder in the distance.

From my early morning travels, taking photographs and soaking up the atmosphere. Bringing it back with me to help re-create it in the studio.........

We've got some new cows in the field that the White Family grazed (the Charolais I loved photographing). Young bullocks for fattening, I'm guessing they're Charolais Limousin crosses very pretty and great colours too paint....smile.

Love this one of Sunny and Amber having their morning groom, the ecstasy on Ambers face can't help but make me smile.

Sunday, 24 July 2011

It's been a strange couple of weeks getting used to not having a horse to care for, a new found freedom I suppose. Sometimes on my morning jaunts I drive past the yard and half expect to see the beautiful head with the broad white blaze gazing back at me. One or two have asked if I'll be getting another horse, the answer is no. Perhaps if I had my own stables and land my arm could have been twisted, but, in my heart of hearts as the clock ticks I know it's time to devote my time to other joys and especially me. It won't be such a huge wrench, my love of horses will never wane and there will always be horses to enjoy from the easel. I have plenty of projects in the wings that will snap up all the spare time, my poor neglected garden for one needs a loving touch and I might even try my hand at growing veggies....on a small scale. What ever I'm getting up too you will no doubt hear about it on here :))

This isn't the best photo I've ever taken but it's the most exciting. This morning while the boys and I took our stroll, I stopped as usual at the metal bridge and looked over. I've learnt from past experiances always to have my camera ready to snap. That said I've never been quick enough for the heron and usually only manage a ducks bum. This morning I almost dropped my camera when I saw this guy playing in the water. At first I thought it was an otter as the light wasn't to good. But when he slithered out on to the rocks I realised it was a Mink. This is the best of the shots and although out of focus you can see him/her. He was gone the minute he sensed me there but on the way back I had another peek. Nothing on this side of the bridge but on the otherside I could see them further along the burn....yep two of them. Too far to get any photos but it was fun watching them play.

Ox Eye Daisies...a whole sea of them, things like this make my day.

Bad Hair day :)

And this was the miss off the day. Spot the dark blob next to the hedge half way up the photo. Yep it's the back end of a Roe Deer. I was trying to capture the summer haze on this field of barley and never even noticed it until I put the photos on my computer. I've been trying for yonks to get a photo of these gorgeous wee deer so missed out ......one day!

Sunday, 17 July 2011

What can I say, I'm having a fun day at the office....I love painting horses, bet you didn't know :) And no problems today working with the oils...big thumbs up. Thunder is crashing around us at the moment making it feel more powerful at the easel. Taking a wee break and will come back to it later....

Saturday, 16 July 2011

Forgot to post a snippet ( I like my new word for you know what's lol) of Sal's progress from earlier in the week.....fingers crossed I seem to have found a way round my body's sudden rejection of oils. If I stick to small doses....still frustrating especially with the larger pieces I have to do. I'm buying an air purifyer so we'll see if that will help.

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

This is a snippet...definately not a work in progress, we don't use that phrase as it tends to jinx things. So this is a snippet of one of the commissions I'm catching up on. It's also going to be a surprise.......

Sunday, 10 July 2011

Two doodles from a very under used sketchpad, I always say I'm going to do more but never do. It was relaxing though. I'm not to sure if I'll ever make it as a bird artist but they do say that practice makes perfect. You cannot imagine how strange today feels after yesterday's loss. For the first day in twenty seven years I got out of bed without a horse to care for....it is the oddest feeling. I'm sad she's gone, she Rio and Dougal have been a huge part of my life but I can accept that it was her time. I've also found comfort in the strangest thing that happened. We were having a quiet moment in a little grassy area at the front of the stables when she stopped in her tracks and took on that distant stare that only horses do, then she neighed. An excited neigh to someone I couldn't see, I'm hoping it was her old friends Rio and Dougal coming to meet her.

Thursday, 7 July 2011

Nothing new to show yet but I've been looking out stuff from my archives to put on my "Just The Art" blog. Thought you might like to see some here, after all something is better than nothing....right! This baby really does have a sweet face.

Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Those who follow my blog will know that Helen is my friend and mentor, just thought I'd show off another of her beautiful paintings. A bit guilty for not having work to show but I am painting just can't share. My track record with work's in progress getting completed is pretty poor so I'm not tempting anything. Especially as the jockey I started the other day has succumbed to the curse of the WIP. I do think of these boo boo's as a learning curve, doing is the only way to move forward :)

Monday, 4 July 2011

Figured I better get a painting on here before you all think I've given it up. Countryside around is starting to peak, farmers have been working round the clock bringing in silage and hay. Crops are starting to ripen and the garden's are exploding. This is just a typical Ayrshire landscape, rolling fields and huge skies, rarely clear. When I was young (not too long ago,smile) I'd lie back and look for shapes in the clouds. That must have been why my Dad used to say I had my head in the clouds. A cool drink beckons so you all have a great day and to those on the wrong side of the Pond, eat, drink and be merry and have a Happy 4th July.

Sunday, 3 July 2011

Went over to visit the wee Highland herd at Overton this morning﻿ after the boys had been for their walk. Haven't been for ages and for a moment I thought they were gone but they were all sunbathing behind the hedge. This herd are miniature Highlands not much taller than a Welsh Mountain Pony, the babies are adorable in fact they all are.

Going to spend the rest of the day in the garden, can catch up with paperwork later. Been invited once again to take part in the Save The Children Art Exhibition, Retail Trust Art Exhibition and Art Off The Square at Kilbarchan......now all I have to do is decide which paintings to send where